QT James 1:1-11

3: because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

4: Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

To be able to take something as pure joy when things that would otherwise come as difficulty is an amazing thing. You can only do this if you’re awake spiritually, otherwise the natural course of thought, emotion, and action is to suffer. But on top of that, today’s QT is giving yet another way to do it, and it is to know that the these tests of my faith develops perseverance.

Perseverance is an interesting character. It says it must finish its work so that I may be mature and complete, not lacking in anything. I’m not really sure what that means. Why is perseverance’s work to make one mature and complete? I suppose being able to weather through trials makes one stronger and more capable of withstanding more. Kind of like those trees in the highest mountains that become those famous violins.

As much as I’d like to develop my perseverance, become more mature and complete, it would be nice if I didn’t have to… but that’s probably just not how it can possibly go for anyone. Everyone is fighting a battle of struggle.

Application: read random chapters of Psalms, do QT first thing tomorrow morning, start working on the 2nd Christmas list